November 7: THE POWER TO PERSUADE

More and more churches seem to want to copy the world’s way of doing things. Does the church fear getting weaker and being ignored? Has the church failed to do its job in Jesus’ way and now must resort to doing things the world’s way? Is the church going to make a bigger impact on the world by imitating the world?
Only time will tell. But I am having a hard time finding a Biblical basis for boycotts, demonstrations, coalitions and strikes. Jesus never lead by intimidation or threat. He was always appealing to right and reason. He acted totally independent the day he turned over the tables of the money changers in the Temple. (Mark 11:15-17) It would have been a good day for a demonstration, if he had wanted to lead one.
We need to reconcile the Bible with real life as Christians. Jesus said, “the gates of Hades will not overcome” the work of his church, it would be unstoppable. (Matthew 16:18 NIV) In Zechariah 4:6 (NIV), “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord Almighty.” Neither Jesus nor Paul ever led a boycott.
In Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus talked about his followers as “salt and light”. With these elements, we are talking about something that can accomplish a great deal without drawing attention to itself. Even a small amount of salt or light can accomplish a lot and no one will be signaled out as the enemy.
The power of persuasion Jesus used was in his love for his church. We must have convictions. We must stand up for them, even be willing to die for them. But we must not, by threat, try to convince others that they must join us. You might get the presence of a body but you will not get the conviction of the soul.
I think we need to show a kind of “quiet fanaticism” in our faithful living the Christian life daily. Someone said, “if there is a man on fire, people will come to watch him burn.” Personal passion has a powerful effect.

“We are often ignored in our daily living, Dear Lord, and we want to
be beacons that constantly burn and show the way to your salvation. Amen”